


Dancing With A Stranger

by another_lost_one



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, And By Girls I Mean Beverly And The Team Plus Will, But They Are Not Students, Clubbing, First Meetings, Girls' Night Out, Grumpy Will Graham, Hannibal Lecter Being an Ass, M/M, NO ONE KNOWS, Pre-Canon, Public Hand Jobs, Student Party, What Is Hannibal Even Doing There
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-06-28 07:11:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19807282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/another_lost_one/pseuds/another_lost_one
Summary: Will Graham had a horrible week and is too tired to protest when Team Sassy Science drags him out for just one drink, which turns into two, which turns into attending Trash Thursday and dancing with a stranger.





	Dancing With A Stranger

**Author's Note:**

> I will not take any blame for this; it is the result of horribly boring working hours in the sweltering heat, and the radio constantly playing Sam Smith. Leave me alone and enjoy this terrible nonsense.
> 
> Not beta-read, I own only my mistakes and nothing else.

“Dismissed.”

Will pushed himself off the edge of the table he had been leaning against during Jack’s meeting. It had been the third this week, with today being a Thursday; no one was very enthusiastic about them, especially not because Jack was persistent in calling them in halfway through the work day and having the whole team stay for longer than they had all anticipated.

Not that any of them had any illusions about working hours at the FBI, during a case as incendiary as this one: the Minnesota Shrike had been keeping Jack on his toes for weeks now, which had been the reason he had implored Will to help him, despite Will being ‘unstable.’

Slinging his messenger bag over his shoulder with a sigh, Will looked for the fastest exit route from the crowded room, to end his fourth day as Special Agent on this case. The hallway was better and he breathed deep, when a hand took hold of his wrist from behind him.

“Hey Will, wait!”

Startled, Will turned around to an excited looking Beverly Katz, closely followed by Jimmy Price and Zeller who each wore their version of a hopeful expression, illuminated by the neon tubes on the ceiling.

“Hi Beverly,” Will extracted his wrist from her hold and pushed his glasses higher up his nose, trying a smile he hoped looked less tired than he felt. He liked Agent Katz.

“Good work on Elise Nichols today, Agent Graham,” Beverly said with a crooked smile. “The team and I thought of having a drink before we go home for today - wanna join in?”

“With team she means just us, Will. Bev, Zee and I.” Jimmy chirped over her shoulder, while Zeller leant against the wall, nodding emphatically. Will felt as if he was in high school again.

“I have to go home, take care of my dogs…” Even speaking he felt how weak they found his argument, so he trailed off, sighing.

“Aw c’mon, Will. Just one beer!” Beverly started walking towards the exit, leading Will along by his forearm and with the other two trailing behind like a pair of puppies. “Just to relax a bit after Jack’s tirade. We all need it.”

Will recognized a battle lost, though now the trio’s giddiness seemed to trickle through, enveloping him and smoothing the creases between his brows. He couldn’t remember the last time he had a drink at a bar, preferring to drink his whiskey at home and in peace.

Though, that wasn’t entirely true; the last time he ‘went out’ was when he invited Alana with him and confessed his… interest in her. It was also the last time they had spoken without the cloud of awkwardness hanging over their heads now, after she rejected him. In fact, first she had confessed the same to him, only to remove herself from the situation due to the ‘professional curiosity’ she also felt toward him, but that had done little to soothe Will’s bruised feelings.

This week had definitely not been a good one. 

Maybe that was also the reason why he let himself be led, by the elbow this time, into a bar full of students and squeezed himself into a booth next to Jimmy, Bev and Zeller on the opposite bench. By the time their waitress placed four full jugs of beer in front of them, Jimmy is already giggling at Beverly and Zeller exchanging office gossip like trading cards. 

“No way!” he exclaimed suddenly. “Jess and…? I never would’ve guessed.”

“There is a reason we work as investigators, you know?” Zeller offered Beverly a fist bump, which she promptly accepted. Will smiled and shook his head at their explosion sounds.

“So Will,” Jimmy suddenly turned to him, “any romantic adventures of your own lately?” His eyes, usually so kind and warm had adopted a mischievous gleam. Will almost choked on his beer with surprise, and Beverly lifted her chin off her hands to point at him.

“He has something!”

“Who was it?”

Gasping, Will wiped his mouth. Surely, his eyes were wide with surprise, but also with shock at the sudden question. He felt the blush creeping up his neck under the trio’s rapt attention.

“No. Not really. I mean… no.” 

He shook his head and took another sip out of his jug; it was half empty already. 

“Hey, Graham.” Beverly pointed her finger between herself, Price and Zeller, like a three-way metronome. “FBI Agents, remember? You can tell us, or we can… find out.” she added with a grin to match Price’s eyes. Zeller just emptied his jug and leaned forward.

Will’s eyes darted from one to the other, determined not to fold. But the beer combined with the exhaustion of the last few days had lowered his usual forts of prickliness and avoidance, so he just slumped forward, mirroring Zeller’s stance.

“Fine,” he huffed. “I asked Alana out for a drink... But that was all!” he added when the trio sprung to life again; Beverly tapped her palm flat onto the table, Zeller put his head in his hands while Jimmy clapped his hands, laughing.

“I knew it!”

“Oh, yes. The Price is Right once again!” Jimmy’s smile had turned self-congratulatory and he held out his hand. “Pay up, Zee.”

Zeller just removed one hand from his face to flip him off, and Beverly laughed loudly. Will just sat there, bewildered.

“Wait, you guys had bet on this?” He expected a flare of irritation, but felt only amusement; a testament to how much he actually liked working with the team.

“Honestly, it was just a matter of when,” Beverly informed him over Jimmy and Zeller’s squabbling over a $20 note. “The way you two had been dancing around each other, it was clear as day.”

Will huffed a laugh. “Well, that said, I’m sorry to inform you guys that it was a one-time event.” He proceeded, draining his jug as well. Beverly’s expression changed from amusement to one of sympathy.

“Aw damn, I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, Will. What happened?” Jimmy turned towards him and put a reassuring hand on Will’s shoulder.

“Nothing, really. She feels a ‘professional curiosity’ about me, so it wouldn’t be good. For either of us, come to think of it.” The words came spilling out of Will’s mouth tinged with bitterness he could taste on his tongue. He had told himself it was fine, that she was right, but that had apparently not taken root. Beverly noticed him eyeing his empty beer and promptly raised her hand to the waiter and ordered another round.

“Well, don’t worry about it Will,” Jimmy patted his shoulder twice. “You know what they say about fish in the sea. And I hear you are a good fisherman?”

Will smiled at Jimmy, grateful he picked up on Will’s discomfort and changed the subject. The waiter’s arrival at their table diffused the awkwardness Will felt even more, so that they continued talking idly about this and that until their drinks were empty once more.

“Okay,” Zeller announced, swaying slightly on his feet. “That’s it from me for today.”

“Zee, you probably shouldn’t drive.” Beverly tugged at his sleeve, which send him swaying towards her, away from the wall he almost bumped into.

“Yeah. I already called a cab, don’t worry. See you tomorrow, guys?”

They waved him off as he made his way towards the exit on wobbly legs. Jimmy chuckled, shaking his head as he watched him leave.

“What a lightweight.” Beverly snickered, and even Will couldn’t stifle a laugh.  
“So,” she clapped her hands in front of her face suddenly. “What do you say about Trash Thursday, you in?”

“Oooh, I am not saying no! But please let’s omit that one dreadful place from last time,” he added, already rising from his seat next to Will.

“Trash Thursday?” he repeated, once again not following.

“You’re coming with us, of course.” Beverly stated soberly, or as sober as she could muster. Zeller had not been the only one affected by their beverages; Will’s head buzzed as well, pleasantly this time, and Jimmy had a grin permanently plastered on his face.

“Okay. But I can walk by myself this time,” Will added as Beverly once again reached for his arm.

“You might, but I’m not so sure!”

\---

The club Beverly dragged them into was packed. Will had thought the tagline had been a joke, but no: Trash Thursday turned out to be a student-mostly event organized by a couple of neighboring bars, cafés and nightclubs, with discount prices on drinks, and an affinity for playing music from the 90s and early 2000s.

They had made their way through the crowd of moving bodies and arrived at the massive bar in the middle of the rounded room. Blue and purple light did little to illuminate their surroundings and Will squinted at the drink Jimmy handed him; whiskey and cola, judging by the taste, although the ice had already watered it down.

Will’s head pulsed in time with the bass-heavy music, but it was a welcome alternative to his usual throbbing headaches. He adjusted the glasses that had slid down his nose as Beverly motioned towards the dancefloor, and shook his head. He didn’t dance. 

Beverly just shrugged and left him standing at the small table where they had left their belongings, already eyeing the people she wanted to join. Will watched her talk to a pretty brunette and taking off into the crowd, as he stuffed his glasses into his pocket, rubbing at the spot they had sat on his nose. Jimmy was still getting a drink for himself, so Will stood there alone, focusing on the music as not to get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information assassinating his senses, as well as his forts.

Alcohol had the tendency to make him sulky after a while, so he tried his best not to ruin his own mood by thinking how easy it must be for most people to embark on romantic adventures in places like these. Lowered inhibitions, partial anonymity, close quarters… near perfect conditions, just not for him. Never for him. Not even during his own student days had he ever been able to shake off the awkwardness that still followed him around now.  
Too late he realized that ruin his mood was exactly what he had done, and he downed his watery Jack and Coke, annoyed at himself, before craning his neck, trying to locate Jimmy.

Just as he squinted again in the low lit space of the club, his ears pricked up as he recognized a familiar hook playing through the speakers, repeating through the momentary silence with its bass boosted so that it mostly registered as a vibration Will felt in his ribcage.

Yes, there was no doubt about it. Will knew his eyebrows must be stuck in an expression of pleasant surprise, but he didn’t care; his foot had begun tapping to the familiar guitar and drum hook, repeated over and over. He hadn’t heard this song in ages, but the record held a place of honor on his shelf at home, and although a remix, the song soared through the modern additions instead of being buried under them.

Before he knew it, he bobbed his head with eyes closed, all thoughts of leaving vanished from his slightly tipsy mind.

He barely registered it the first time, but when there was a second tap on his shoulder, Will opened his eyes and turned around, still halfway immersed into the familiar tune.

A pair of dark eyes looked down at him. The eyes belonged to face that could have been straight out of a museum, aristocratic and composed, all chiseled cheeks and curiously molded lips that were stretched into a slight smile. Will’s mouth fell open involuntarily. 

The man before him was only slightly taller than Will, so he leaned down in order for Will to hear him over the noise.

“Would you like to dance?” Will stood still, ceasing all movement as the question floated through his ears like an echo, and it took a moment for his alcoholized brain to process it. The man raised fair eyebrows, waiting for a response, and Will fumbled with the empty glass in his hand, setting it down on the cluttered table next to him with more force than he intended to.

To hell with it, he thought while the band crooned the refrain over and over again, as if encouraging him. 

“Yeah.” He knew the stranger couldn’t hear him so he nodded as well, causing the man to expand his smile that did not leave his beautiful features as he lead Will towards the middle of the dancefloor. Will thought he had let himself be lead quite a few times tonight, and he was curious where he would end up in this instance.

He saw Jimmy in passing, holding a colorful drink in his hand that he almost dropped at the sight, but Will just grinned and shrugged his shoulders, leaving him to process it on his own.

Once they had found an opening in the crowd wide enough for two people, the man turned towards him gracefully, as if timed to the music. It was then that a part of Will’s brain sent out the warning that he didn’t dance but it barely registered against everything else going on in there. He realized that his eyes had not left the stranger’s shoulder, but his body had commenced its movement and Will could just hope that it didn’t look as awkward as he felt.

He willed his eyes away from the shoulder to glance up. That was a mistake; the man’s eyes burned intensely on his face, like dark embers that swept over Will’s features, venturing lower, and Will felt his body stuttering to a stop, suddenly overcome by self-consciousness. 

A hand to the tip of his chin raised his head lightly, and the stranger leaned in again. For a moment, Will imagined the man kissing him, sculpted lips pressing against his own.

“Don’t be shy,” then man said, his voice low but close enough for Will to discern the peculiar cadence in which he spoke. “You are beautiful.”

He leaned back, hand still cupping his chin, and then Will was held captive by those eyes, unable to look away. His ears were burning, surely blushing red under his curls, and probably matching the rest of his face as well. 

The song rose to its final high, the rhythm growing more furious by the beat and it carried Will, the movement flowing through all of him except his eyes; they remained glued to the man dancing in front of him. They had lessened the distance between their bodies, as if drawn towards each other by an unfathomable force, two magnets just moments before they click together. It certainly felt like it, their movement different but coordinated, following each other, like question and answer, perfectly in time.

“I’m Will.”

He hadn’t even registered himself opening his mouth, let alone raised his voice in any way. It was possible he even whispered, he just wasn’t sure. There was no way the stranger had heard him over the music, Will thought, but he was reluctant to repeat what had probably been something stupid to say in the first place.

Which is why he thought nothing of the man leaning in again, until he was so close that he could smell the fine cologne on the man’s black button-up shirt. 

“Hello, Will.”

Will nearly jumped when he heard the man’s voice just next to his left ear. They had not touched since he had let go of Will’s hand earlier, but now there were lips brushing the shell of his ear and a hand carefully taking hold of his waist. Instinctively, Will put his palms on the stranger’s forearms, to stop him or urge him forward, he wasn’t sure himself. Will felt the man’s breath, as quick as his own, against his cheek and lifted his head to look at him.

That beautiful face was as composed as it could be. It was the eyes that made Will take a breath that brought their chests together; the want he saw there almost overwhelmed him, almost burned through him, robbing him of any coherent thought he might have had. The only thing left was the thought of those oddly shaped, perfect lips pressed against his.

The song had long changed, the beat entirely new, but they still stood pressed together chest to groin, as Will realized, but somehow did not care about the evident desire between them except how to pursue it.

Carefully, Will raised his hand up to the stranger’s face and traced a finger over the severe cupid’s bow, down to the full bottom lip. He stopped at the corner and pulled slightly, lips parting and breath flowing over them, the stranger as affected as Will by this seemingly simple touch.

There was no hesitation in the way Will surged forward to crush their lips together, still holding on to the corner of the man’s mouth, feeling muscles move below the chiseled cheekbone to accommodate Will’s furious kisses. But the stranger did not stay passive for long; sliding a hand into Will’s curls, he took hold of him and pushed back, nearly dipping him over the dancefloor. Will felt himself held up merely by a strong arm around his waist, and he clung to the man’s neck and the back of his shirt even tighter, as he broke away, gasping for air.

“Outside,” he managed, and felt the man let go of him. Will was the one leading him now by the hand, fingers intertwined all the way while they fought their way towards the exit. He had no plan, but he figured something would come up by the time they reached… where exactly was he going?

Once outside, Will glanced about, still a bit clueless and acutely aware of the man’s eyes on his back. There were several people outside despite the late hour, standing at the curb or leaning against the illuminated walls of the club.

Will felt a tug on his hand and turned around to see the taller man cock his head towards an alcove on the side of the building that was mostly devoid of light. Moments later he found himself pressed against that wall, once again sharing searing kisses and hot breaths with that beautiful stranger.

“What… is your name… anyway?” Will managed, turning his head ever so slightly. With his mouth unavailable, the man trailed his lips over Will’s cheek to the space under his ear, sucking at the tender skin and making Will shudder before he answered.

“My name,” he rumbled directly into Will’s ear, “ is Hannibal.”

“Hannibal,” Will repeated, his voice not better than a whisper, as the stranger - Hannibal - traced the tip of his nose down Will’s bare neck, only to inhale his scent where it connected to his shoulder. It felt so intimate, Will felt his underwear tighten even more, and he moved a leg to slide between Hannibal’s, bringing their hips together.

Hannibal pressed even closer, crowding Will against the wall so that he was almost leaning over him and rocked his hips, sending delicious sparks of want up Will’s spine with every movement. His hand found its way between them and Will only registered what was happening when Hannibal had already unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, fingers teasing against the waistband of his boxers before plunging inside to take Will’s cock in hand, already wet with precome.

Will let out a muffled groan at the direct contact and tried to focus half-lidded eyes at Hannibal’s face, eyebrows raised. Hannibal regarded him with a smile full of challenge.

“Can you keep quiet?”

Will stared up at him, disbelief quickly replaced by pure pleasure as Hannibal stroked him inside his boxers. He bit his lip, stifling a moan that threatened to alarm the people standing just a few paces away from them, behind the corner. He realized that Hannibal had positioned them in a way that they would seem like any other couple sucking face against a wall. That thought coupled with Hannibal’s stroking sent another shiver along his spine, and he let his head fall forward.

“Good boy.” Hannibal praised him, pressing a kiss against his temple, and the hand on Will’s cock reaching a pace that send Will spiraling. “You are exquisite. I couldn’t tear my eyes off you the moment I saw you.” 

Will whimpered softly, feeling his climax approaching, encouraged by Hannibal’s rumbling in his ear, the sensation of hot breath against his neck and the perfect friction against his throbbing cock. He felt his knees wobble and grabbed at Hannibal’s shoulders to steady himself, rumpling the expensive-feeling material of his shirt between his fingers.

“There you go. Let me see.”

Hannibal retreated, just enough to hold Will’s gaze for a moment before he succumbed to the wave of pleasure washing over him, forcing him to close his eyes. He almost let out a moan, but was silenced by Hannibal’s mouth upon his, swallowing any noise that would have escaped his lips.

By the time Will had come to himself, Hannibal had already put him away, zipped and buttoned his pants, and was now wiping his hand on a handkerchief he had pulled from his pocket. Still breathing hard, Will watched him adjust himself before leaning in to capture Will’s lips once again.

The kiss was surprisingly chaste, considering what they had just done. Will still felt the tingles of excitement along his spine, was just thinking about sinking to his knees when Hannibal pulled away.

“It is late,” he simply said, “I am working early tomorrow.” When he saw Will’s confusion he offered him his hand and pulled him away from the wall, dark eyes soft as they gazed in Will’s blue ones with what could only be affection. Will took a deep breath and tried not to sound too desperate.

“Can I see you again?”

“You will.”

With an enigmatic smile, Hannibal squeezed Will’s waist once again before he turned and walked off onto the main street, leaving Will baffled and exhausted in the dark alley.

\---

The next morning was horrible. Will had rolled out of the bed feeling like one of the corpses on Jimmy’s table, and not really looking much better.

A shower had helped somewhat, and the long drive from Wolf Trap to the BSU gave him the opportunity to reflect on the previous evening. It seemed like a dream, something out of a romance novel - Hannibal had showed up out of nowhere and then vanished again. And what did he mean by “you will”?

Will was just entering the building, contemplating if returning to the club that evening in the hopes of running into Hannibal again was too pitiful a move, when he got a message from Jack to join him in his office as soon as possible.

He walked in like a storm, and noticed there was another person already present in one of Jack’s visitor chairs, dressed unassumingly in cream and beige. 

“Ah, Will! I want you to meet Dr Lecter. He will be assisting in profiling the Minnesota Shrike…"

Will had stopped listening to Jack droning on as soon as the visitor had turned around and looked at him, maroon eyes gleaming on a beautiful face adorned with a pleasant smile. Will realized he forgot to breathe so he sucked in a lungful of air, but the rush of oxygen only made him more dizzy.

No way.

"Hello, Will."


End file.
